Custom Homebuilding: Upgrade now…not later.
Custom Home Building
When deciding to building a custom home there are many decisions to be made. Whether you are building totally custom or from a production builder that offers a high degree of specialization there are some things that are better to do just as you want them the first time around. Yes, its true builder’s do make money off options and upgrades. Do you really want the hassle of redoing what could have been done properly the first time?
“If will require a major tear out, demolition and hauling of debris….spend the money up front.”
While there are many options and upgrades available when building a custom home, we will focus on options that are more interior specific. What windows work best? Upgraded driveway materials? Luxury roof materials? These are very important options to consider—we will discuss at a later date.
Hardwood flooring-Hardwood flooring is the benchmark for quality flooring in residential usage. Don’t believe me? Visit your favorite floor showroom or big box storage and look at the number of products designed to look like wood without the cost. It is no secret that water is not a a friend to hardwood flooring. I do not recommend using wood in areas that are susceptible to moisture and potential leaks. When it comes to appeal for resale and things that home buyers tend to seek when purchasing…you will always find renovated kitchens, bathrooms, and hardwood flooring at the top of the list. I highly recommend studying the characterics of the species of woods that are available before making a decision. Materials that may be ideal for South Florida may not work well in Scottsdale. If you decide that wood is right for you project, I suggest keeping the flooring consistent throughout the project. You don’t want 3 different hardwoods of varying thickness, stain, and width in the home. This is going to come across as amateur and not well planned.
Ceiling Height- This is not to be overlooked. If you know the basics of construction you can imagine how difficult and expensive it would be change the ceiling height after the house is built. Today, the minimum ceiling height I would suggest is 9’ on the 1st and 2nd floor. If its in the budget consider 11’ on the 1st floor. To step things up a few notches….add 8’ door. Talk about luxury! Taller ceilings can give your home a grander, more spacious appearance and feeling, Finally in the planning stages look at adding coffered, trey, cathedral, and vaulted ceilings. These features add luxury, volume, value, and architectural detail to any new home build.
Cabinetry-When building a custom home, one of the largest line items you can see in the budget will be for the cabinetry. There are millions of possible combinations of material and craftmenship standards. This is an area that you don’t want to skimp.
Cabinetry can be found in the kitchen, bathroom, closets, pantry, mudroom, and laundry area.
I highly suggest splurging on high quality cabinetry when it is possible. To the touch you want a heavy weight on the doors when you open and close them. Don’t wanna hear the doors and drawers slam all day? Consider soft close glides. .I highly suggest taller upper cabinets, glass/cane front doors, full overlay doors, and simple fresh non-traditional door fronts. Far too often, people select elaborate cabinets and default to busy counter tops—-they are never happy and the space looks dated quickly.
Master Bathroom-We all know that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. I am not going into materials and size here. It is important to think about how you want to live. Will you share the space with your partner? Will guest have access to your master bathroom? Do you want long vanity that is share with your partner or 2 smaller units opposite walls? What about shower? What works best for you—separate tub and shower or a combo? Have you dreamed of a free standing ceramic tub…but you think its too expensive? What about 1 or 2 water closets? It is important to spend enough time working on your space plan for the master bathroom. If you build your home thinking you don’t need a tub because you think its cool…it will cost a fortune to rework the plumbing, tile work, flooring electrical to add it after the fact. Take your time. A quality master bathroom is not just pretty finishes and fixtures. the space plan is equally as important.
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